Smyrna times., 1887-06-29
A VENDETTA.

The widow of Paola Saverini dwell
alohe with her only son in a Door littl,
nut under the walls of BonifaciO. Tn,
CITY, built upon an extension of the moun
tam, seemed actually to be suspended
above the sea, which beat itself against
lhe rocks OF the lower coast of Sardinia
Al ITS feet, on the other side. strait OF
cur IN the ellis, which resembled a gigan.
nc cofrld0r' brought You after a long cir.
cunt between two abrupt walls to the first
o- lAe houses and to the entrance of the
port, only used by the little boats of tbo
Sandman fishermen and the ancient
steamer which piled between this hamlet
and AjacciO.
Against the background of the sOmber
mountain the clustering houses seemed
winter still, and more than ever like the
nests OF savage birds clinging to the rocks
LAii oFerhang this dangerous PASSAGE. so
dangerous, indeed, that ships never dared
10 venture it.
4 hurricane Of unceasing wind beat
upon this ocean and upon this barren
coast, destitute of almost a blade of YER
cure, 20 engulf itself at last in the mar
row strait and Tavage it on both hanks
The trails Of pale foam raised bv its furv
stretching from crest to crest of the Dro-
9ecting stones like strips of linen floating
ana Facllating upon the surface of the
water.
The house Of the widow saverini
PeIehed upon the very edge of the cliff,
opened its three windows uDOn tbis viii
and desOlate scene, and She lived there nc
tel you all alone with her son Antoine
ard her dog Semillante, a huge and
Aleager beast, with long, coarse hair. n
SORT oI wolf dog, in fact, though used by
AeF young master in hunting.
one night IN Wine house brOil Antoine
i>aFerlnl was killed, treacherouslv stabbed
70 Inc heart, by Nicholas RavOlati. who
AZ once fled TO the thickets" of Sardinia
y hen the old mother received tbe body,
u her child, brought to her bv some If
the neighbOrs who had witnessed tbe
eeed, she neither murmured. went nor
faFed, but standing by his side mute and
llolloniess sWore to avenge him. no mat
ter now no matter When-but to avenoe
nm hefusing TO allow any one to remain
vain ner, OF 70 assist her in any way. she
snut heIseI up with her dead and with
ner dog, which hOWled and hOwIed nm
ceasingly. N--
Standing at the foot of the bed. her evas
liked upon her master, her tail between |
her legs, Semillante remained as innova- |
DE as the mother herself. now lneeIiny /
aDoFe the body Of her son. 1veeDinn preot /
turning tears. The poor boy. living uDon |
- Daek, white and still in his coarse /
AalerInan's clothes, would have seemed /
= u only asleep but for the bloody rent
ia the breast Of his blouse. his shirt wide
open where they had examined his wound
ana tne crimson stains upon his face. his
vest, his hands, and even clotted into tba
meshes Of his beard and hair.
Al last ms mother began to talk to him
% caress him, TO whisper in his ear. Al
me sound Of her voice the howIs of tbe
oOg were Tor moment stilled.
4Ou shall be avenged, my little one"
enc sOltly murmured; you shall be
q. eHs5l' my precious child, my handsome
10y II Is thy mother that promises it
y llg hlother, and she keeps her word as
lnOu EnOTest well, - and rising TO bcr feet
she laid her withered lips in n last lone
KISS upon the lfvid ones Of the dead
4hen Semllante began 10 howl arain IN
ROW. IN long and plaintivc aonOtOnes
y stracting and horrible to hear. Thus
-ney remained, the woman and the bqaet
until the dawn Of morning.
me IoilOWlng day Antoine SaycriDi was
eld 70 rest and speedily forgotten in
5OniIacio, for he had left behind him
neither father, brother, cousin nor relative
. pursue the vendetta: no one gave
lOugnt 70 the mOther-she was Il woman
md too old and feeble
IN lne other side Of the strait Off in
ne distance, the widow Sayerini saw
rom morning till night a white Doiut
l9llg IrOm the coast. It was the little
"a , ullllan village OF LOngOsardO. where
-S Iofslcan bandits, when tracked too
losely by the emissaries Of fbe Govern,
m fhr ha.F.s o.
Ley alone peOpled this hamlet. facing fbe
cast Of their native country. and there
waited the moment Of return-return to &
lelr former life and TO the hiding places +
D lne lAchets il was in this IOnpo- T
aIao. she was sure Of it, that Nicolas Il
laFolau had himself sought safety. il
AL aioLe -'f'r r' her window. she G
= - az lia' e.- t.Ill2c and dreamed 2
2 lhe te--7- cameo ~ come But how L
ould She accomplish it by herself as She a
'as, and 50 infirm and near unto death, q
IN sne had promised it, had sworn It b
ven, above the corpse Of her son She a
Duld not forget that, and could not wait n
OF IesJ cay or night Obstinately seeking &
" means TO pay this debt. Il
The dog sleeping at her feet bod for Il
often as little as the mother and ,,,o,,I5 81
9inermes lift her head and break into a h
lournful wailing Since her master,s o.
eillh she had frequently hOwled TINS es Il
hhe called 10 him. and guarded in her N
rue soui a memory that nothing couId pl
face. ''''''s 1ouiu in
suddenly one night, as Semillante BEGAN b'
er usual lament, her mistress was seized S.
'ith an inspiration, a savage. yipdicfive +
srociOus inspiration. She meditated unon Il
an night and in the morning took her in
ay % the village church. There She di
ray ca PROSTATE upon the stones. bowed W
own before her God, suppIicating Him W
~ ~ ana 70 sustain her and to give to 81
e feeble and worn out body the gfrenotb pc
le needed to avenge her son. After
llss with tranquil heart, she returned
ome. '''u st
I'D her yard was an old headless barrel Tl
sed as a receptacle for the water that di
n LJin Ahe cutters. She emptied f. be
paeb ~ fastened it 70 the earth with U
iIAs ana stones. md then. chaininO
j i eiiiiilante securely 5p the center Of it.
turned 70 her ehamber and TO her sleep
= slgll by the window, beF eyes always ia
Aeu s = lpoh the coast Of Sardi0ias he was til
yer there-he, theRssassfnf nc
All that day and all that NIGHT fbe dag M
q 'nli-lnued to howl In the morning fho Gu
q woman carried her a bowl of Tgatar ~
1t nothing else-not a morsel Of bread az
I = Z. crop oi soup not a piece Of bacon. pa
he honrs cEawled on; night came aGain 20
~ Selnlilante, stretching herself ont Of
sp'- Inc DAY after however, she had OF
rning eyes, a bristling skin, and wildly -. ~
.lled upon her chain. The Old woman -
" gave her nothing to eat. The beast Evas -, ~
rious, and moaned continually in low. ~
arse tones Thus the night passed
ain.
At peep Of day Mother Saverini betook Al
rseh 70 the house of a neighbor. beg N,
lg from him some bundles Of straw. -. -"
ileh she carried to her home, and with 49, -
slliied q suit Of clothes that had be- ~ ~
nblance Of a human beino Il FaStoi go my lef
& manikin to a stake driven into the ral